Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others at the ‘Buddha Maha Sammelan’ in Mysuru on Wednesday. | Photo credit: MA SRIRAM
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said here on Wednesday that socio-economic empowerment is the key to ending inequality in society.
He was speaking at the ‘Buddha Maha Sammelan’, an international Buddhist cultural gathering organized by the Karnataka Rajya Bhikku Sangha in collaboration with other organizations.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said mere exhortations from the pulpit to end inequality will not bring the desired results as caste is well-entrenched and deeply rooted in Indian society. He said he called for government-backed programs that would set in motion a chain of socio-economic changes that would weaken the stranglehold of caste.
In this context, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that during his first term as Chief Minister, he had introduced various bhagya schemes and in his second stint, these were followed by guarantee schemes. The Chief Minister said that the current guarantee schemes have fulfilled purchasing power among the poor, empowered women and marginalized communities and served as tools to promote economic justice through which social progress can be achieved.
Mr Siddaramaiah said his government had introduced several measures to empower marginalized sections, including the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plans and Tribal Sub-Plans (Planning, Allocation and Utilization of Financial Resources) Act, 2013, which ensured targeted funding for Dalits and Adivasis.
“We started with ₹ 15,000 crore and today the allocation is ₹ 42,000 crore. There can be no equality without economic strength,” he said, pointing out that his government has also provided reservation for contract works.
Calling for renewed efforts to build an egalitarian society, Mr. Siddaramaiah said social equality cannot be achieved without economic and educational empowerment.
India’s caste inequalities persist despite the teachings of Buddha, Basavanna and BR Ambedkar, who all sought to establish a just and humane social order, Mr Siddaramaiah said, stressing the need for greater awareness and educational opportunities for all to disrupt the caste hierarchy, which he said was based on exploitation.
He regretted that casteism was deeply rooted and practiced even among the educated. Quoting Ambedkar, he said that until inequality and caste discrimination disappeared, progress or change would be elusive. Mr. Siddaramaiah said there are “Manuvadi” forces who are against the introduction of equality and warned against compromising with people who are against the ideals of Buddha, Basava and Ambedkar.
Home Minister G. Parameshwara, Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa, former Mayor Purushottam and Jnanaprakash Swami of Urilingapeddi Mutt were present.
Published – 15 October 2025 20:50 IST
